Love in the Dark
by theseunquiettruths
Summary: When Rey is suddenly left without a dance partner a month before the competition of her life, Ben Solo is practically blackmailed into becoming her partner. Not that she particularly likes him (or him her), but they will have to manage if they want to achieve their goals. And maybe, just maybe, they're entirely wrong about each other. A Modern Dance AU.


She was breathing hard, executing the footwork with more precision than she ever had in her life. He was all that was on her mind in those last moments that would change everything. His rare smiles that burst onto his face like a sunbeam when she least expected it, his eyes after she had kissed him for the first time, his fits of anger, and the way he had hugged her before they had begun this. Her skirt flew up, distorting her vision, as she was tossed into the cradle of his arms and then back out again, her feet working quickly to catch up with her momentum.

This was it, the last combination. She could feel his breath against her hair as she was pulled in and then tossed back out again, feet kicking right then left, and then spinning as if her life depended on it, swinging into a tuck over his arm, and then both of them landing in the splits with wide grins spread across their faces. She didn't know what she would do if they didn't win. It would be all for nothing then, and that was something she didn't think she could handle.

As her adrenaline began winding down, she picked herself up from the floor, and then bowed together, exiting off right. Her hand was clasped tightly in his, and they began their wait whispering praises in each other's ears while silently critiquing themselves.

It seemed like eternity before the official came to retrieve them. They had seen the last few pairs on the screen in the back room and they were anxious. Everything depended on that dance - her scholarship, his parents approval, whatever it was that was between them. He tugged on her hand, stilling her movements for a moment. Keeping her delicate hand in one of his, he used his other to lift her chin up and press a light kiss on her forehead. She squeezed her eyes closed and tried clamp down the fluttering of butterflies in her stomach. Opening her eyes and turning away, she lead him out onto the stage. There were only two other couples on the stage with them, and her breathing became inexplicably tight. Sending a silent prayer out to whoever was watching over her, she begged that they win, that all of their hard work be good for something.

A speaker had now stepped out on stage, a shiny red envelope in his hand, and a congenial smile on his face. As he began to speak, Rey held her breath.

"...And now ladies and gentlemen, the moment you've all been waiting for… The winner of the 2016 Lindy Hop USA Finals is…"

* * *

The day that Rey's life would change forever (though it could be debated whether that was for the best or for the worst) began in the most mundane way possible - she missed her bus. This was not an uncommon occurrence for Rey, in fact she missed her bus most days, though that never stopped her from trying to be better about it the next day. She had set the wrong alarm or had slept through the right one, and so she was late to work, again. She swore she didn't know why she hadn't been fired yet, although it probably had something to do with the fact that her two best friends owned the place and her work was the best they had.

She sighed and began to make her way towards the Resistance, a small off-brand mechanics shop that specialized in airplanes, though they did take the occasional car. It took her 25 minutes, and she arrived hot and sweaty, already regretting the choice of her outfit. The sky had been overcast before she had left the house, but now the sun was shining in full force, and her gray khakis and long-sleeved shirt seemed to have been the worst idea she's had to date.

Rey clocked in, only 10 minutes late, and moved to begin working on her project for the day. She wondered where Finn and Poe were. They normally weren't this late. She listened attentively for the sound of their voices, and a few seconds later, when she heard some slightly breathy moans, she knew exactly where they were. A small smirk formed on her lips. They just couldn't keep their hands to themselves.

Rey was actually excited to get off work today, the first time all week. She was meeting with her dance partner for the first time in two weeks, since he had had to visit some family overseas. Her body was crackling with the pent-up energy of not having been able to practice for so long. Her feet were practically itching to swirl themselves into the Lindy Hop and become lost forever.

She clocked out at four o'clock, with Poe's endearments following her out the doors.

"Goodbye, Twinkletoes!" He shouted to her retreating back.

She quickly made the ten minute walk to the dance studio, The Republic. It was on the second floor of a tall brick building, situated overtop a bakery that did nothing to help Rey's addiction to cinnamon rolls. Rey pulled open the door and practically flew up the flight of stairs to her destination. She set her stuff in her locker, quickly changing into her dance clothes, before heading out onto the floor to begin her warm-ups. She was a little earlier than normal, and because of this her partner hadn't shown up yet.

It was only when her had finished her warm ups, a twenty minute ordeal that she stuck to religiously, did she notice that her partner was fifteen minutes late. "That's odd," she thought to herself, and went to retrieve her cell from her bag. Returning to the floor, she noticed that Master Skywalker was standing in the middle of them room.

"Master Skywalker?" Rey asked. He turned, a soft smile on his face that quickly turned to a deepening grimace.

"Rey, I'm afraid I have some terrible news." And suddenly Rey knew something had happened to her partner. Her cell dropped from her hands and clattered against the hardwood floor.

"Snoke recruited him," Luke said simply. He was calm, more calm than Rey at the current moment. Her world had just been brought into sharp focus. Her dance partner, the only person she knew who could Lindy Hop, had been recruited to the other dance company in town - The First Order, and had left her high and dry a month before competition began. She began to hyperventilate, her thoughts racing a mile a minute. What would she do? Without a partner she couldn't dance, and if she couldn't dance in the competition that meant she was ineligible for the scholarship, and if she wasn't eligible that meant she couldn't achieve her dream of attending the finest dance school in the country and becoming a world famous ballroom dancer. Everything was tumbling and she was beginning to feel faint, black starting to creep around the edges of her vision. This day was going to shit.

Then a warm hand was resting on her shoulder, pulling her out of her panic attack and back into the reality she was now facing.

"Don't worry Rey. I've already called in a favor and one of the best dancers I know is on his way. I taught him myself." As if that could reassure her. She didn't know him, didn't know if he was compatible with her style of dancing, didn't know if her could swing her through lifts as effortlessly as her last partner was able to, didn't know if she would like him, she didn't even know his name.

"What's his name?" She asked.

"Ben. And he should be here right about… now."


End file.
